Injured, elderly and disabled persons may have difficulty standing or walking without physical assistance. In many cases, these individuals rely on assistive devices such as single-legged canes, four-legged canes, walkers, and wheel chairs. Assistive devices provide support for users so that they may stand or walk. Motorized devices, such as motorized wheel chairs and user transportation devices, may enable the user to travel from point A to point B with minimal effort by the user. However, these devices do not provide any rehabilitation aspects or feelings of independence to the user. For example, a user having a mild to moderate impairment in the lower extremity may benefit from rehabilitation motions that are used to relearn how to walk or stand. A person who simply rides on or in such a motorized device may not benefit from rehabilitation motions or procedures when attempting to walk or stand while totally depending on assistance. Further, in many cases the user may wish to independently stand or walk a distance and only minimally rely on an assistive device.
Accordingly, a need exists for alternative assistive devices for actively providing physical assistance in aiding a person to walk and/or stand in an upright position.